Book links: Amazon, Goodreads

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Michael R. Fletcher is a science fiction and fantasy author, a grilled cheese aficionado, and a whiskey-swilling reprobate. He spends his days choreographing his forklift musical (titled "Get Forked"), and using caffeine as a substitute for sanity. Any suggestions that he is actually Dyrk Ashton in disguise are all lies.

Publisher: Michael R. Fletcher (December 15, 2025) Page count: 295 pages Formats: ebook, paperback

Michael R. Fletcher is one of my favorite authors, and I’m always eager to check out one of his books. Dogged didn’t disappoint.

This novel is set in the world of The Obsidian Path. Technically, it can be read on its own. Practically, I don’t think that’s a great idea. There are a lot of nods to the main series (characters, politics, power structures) that land much harder if you already know the setting. You can follow the story without that context, though.

The plot kicks off fast and rarely slows down. It starts as an investigation. Dogged, a wardog bred for war, is looking into her mate’s brutal death. Then it turns into a survival story. Then a chase and a series of escalating disasters. People die, bones snap, guts spill. Fletcher keeps things moving at all times. If Dogged isn’t fighting, she’s tracking. If she’s not tracking, she’s running. If she’s not running, something has gone very wrong.

Dogged herself is a fantastic lead. She’s a giant, lethal wardog, a weapon “born to die,” raised to serve the Emperor without question. She narrates the story in a blunt, literal voice that works incredibly well. She misses things. She forgets details. She acts first and thinks later, if she thinks at all. That rough narration helps excuse some of the story’s bumps, and I choose to believe that’s deliberate.

This is not Fletcher at his bleakest. It’s still dark, no doubt, but there’s room for humor here. Cool, dry humor, often unintentional on Dogged’s part. The contrast works, especially as she slowly, awkwardly starts forming friendships and that's something she was never designed to do.

I do have a couple of caveats. Some of the villains veer into caricature. The main plot can feel unfocused at times, like it’s constantly veering sideways. That said, given who Dogged is and how she sees the world, that lack of focus mostly makes sense.

Fletcher absolutely sticks the landing. It’s sharp and emotional. Actually, it's one of his better endings, easily. If you like The Obsidian Path, it’s a must-read. If you don’t, I’d recommend starting there first - then coming back to this.